Is Florida providing "high-quality" schools, as the Constitution requires?
CIVIC Concern | | 
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Yesterday, a coalition of parents and citizens groups filed a lawsuit in Tallahassee asking the court to declare that state leaders have failed to meet their constitutional obligation to make "adequate provision" for a "uniform, efficient, safe, secure and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education."
Learn all about the lawsuit and the background of the constitutional requirement on CIVIC's Excellence in Education Now page.
What do you think?
Rep. Kiar: Don't Backtrack on Commitment to Reduce Class Size
CIVIC Concern | | 1
State Representative Martin Kiar wrote this guest column to explain his opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment reducing class-size reduction requirements and to urge his legislative colleagues to join a bipartisan effort to add flexibility to the current structure without shortchanging students.
Read his thoughts, then feel free to share your own in the comments.
WKoF initiative: World Class Schools
CIVIC Concern | | 2
What are the biggest challenges facing Florida's education system? And what ideas do you have for improving Florida's schools?
Share your thoughts here as we kick off "What Kind of Florida Do You Want to Live In?", our ground-breaking, two-year initiative that will mobilize citizens from around the state to come together in shaping policy proposals that can make a real difference in the lives of Floridians. To learn more, visit the What Kind of Florida? homepage.
Education, Schools, FCAT reform, What Kind of Florida initiative (all tags)
Poll: FCAT Reform
CIVIC Concern | | 1
Where do you stand on accountability reform, especially reducing the importance of the FCAT? Take our poll, then visit this post to discuss the issue in more depth.
Reducing the Role of the FCAT
CIVIC Concern | | 0
Since completing comprehensive expert reports on the impact of the FCAT and the A Plus plan in 2004 and 2007, CIVIC has advocated for an overhaul of the state's accountability system.
In 2006 and 2007, legislation based on CIVIC research was developed and filed by members of the State House and Senate, but those bills failed to pass. This year, State Senator Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, chair of the Senate's Pre-K-12 Education Committee, has filed a bill that would add a number of other factors to the high school grading equation, reducing the importance of the FCAT for high schools.
While more comprehensive change is needed, this bill is a good beginning. The fact that it was filed by a committee chair signals that legislative leaders are finally willing to consider changes in the accountability system.
For more information, read the full article here.
What changes do you believe need to be made to the accountability system? Should the emphasis on the FCAT be reduced, or should the test be scrapped altogether? Or do you believe the system is working effectively and doesn't need reform?
Top Florida Education Officials Consider FCAT Alternatives
CIVIC Concern | | 15
Legislative leaders and members of the state board of education traveled to New York for an in-depth look at that state's Regents exams. For months now, there has been high-level discussion of shifting Florida's accountability system toward end-of-course exams, which experts say would be a more useful tool than the FCAT.
For more information, read the full article.
What do you think? Are end-of-course exams a good alternative? What other options should the state consider?